Magazine and feed means for stapling machines



July 13, 1948. A. H. MAYNARD I MAGAZINE AND FEED MEANS FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 l l l July 13, 1948. 2,445,180

MAGAZINE AND FEEDA MEANS EoR sTAPLING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1947 A. H. MAYNARD 2 sheets-Sheena 5y Zzw: /liforzzeiya Patented July 13,1948

" UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE AND FEED ii/IEANsy Fon srrAPLING MACHINES 'Application January 15, 1947, seria-.1 No. 722,119V

This application isA a continuation-in-part of my prior application Serial No. 563,499, flied November'15, 1944.

The presentv .invention consists in improvements in magazine and feed means for stapling machines for attaching papers, fastening tags to articles of commerce', securing other articles to various objects, and relates more particularly to thefeeding means for the fasteners or staples used in such implements.

One object ofthe invention is to provide easier and 'more'convenie'nt means for loading the implement with a supplyof 4fasteners or staples.

Another object isto provide improved means forv feeding the fasteners or staples to the applying means` and for retracting the feeding means when a supply of fasteners is loaded into the implemen Y AMore particularly the present improvement relates to a retractiblev staple-pusher having manually-operable means for withdrawing it through the staples, that is, between their legs after a supply of the fasteners has been placed 'in the magazine, with resilient means for thereafter advancing the pusher to feedv the .fasteners forwardly'in the magazine to deliverA them to the staple-'applying means.

. Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the implement, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanyingv drawings. In the drawings:

Fig.,1,is'a side elevational view of the complete implement; l

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalA sectional view of the same showing the operative'relationship between the staples andthe feedingv means or staplepusher;

.Fig. 3 is a similar longitudinal sectional view showing the staple-pusher advanced to extreme position after feeding all the staples to the applying means and illustrating Vthe manner of insertinga new strip Yor stick of attached staples into the magazine; v

Fig. 4 .is a plan View of thev magazine showing it filled with staples and illustrating the staplepusher in cooperative relation thereto for feeding the fasteners forwardly therein; l

Fig. 5 is a similar plan view of the magazine, partly broken away at the center, and illustrating the staple-pusher as being retracted within the staple-stick between the legs of the staples;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional `*view-on line 6--l of Fig. 1 showing the relation between the magazine-arm, staple-driving lever and the hold-down means for the staples;

Fig. 7 is a similar transverse sectional viewon line 1-1 of Fig. 1 showing'the mounting for the magazine-arm on the base of the machine; and y Fig. 8 is a composite perspective view of the 7 Claims.

staple-pusher and its manually-operable retracting means with certain of the parts illustrated' in disassembled relationship.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the present improved fastener-applying implement comprises in general, `a base 2 provided with a mounting 3 at its rearward end for pivotally supporting a magazine-arm 4 containing'a supply of staples s; a fastener-applying levert pivoted to the magazine-arm 4; a staple-driver Ei at the forward end of the lever 5; and a staplefeeding means within 'the magazine-arm 4 for advancing the staples to deliver them individually to the staple-driving means.

The base 2 may take any usual form but is preferably constructed from sheet-metal struck up to provide a raised upper platform IB bounded by a lower marginal flange Il adapted to rest upon a desk or other suitable support, see Figs. 1 and 7. The forward end of the base 2 may be formed with clincher-grooves lf2v of usual construction. The mounting 3 for the magazinearm 4, see Fig. '7, is also `constructed of sheetmetal in substantially U-shapeY and fastened to the rearward end of the base 2.' The magazinearm 4-may be pivoted at its rearward end to the mounting 3 by any suitable means such, for example, as that shown in my prior application referred to above. l l I As shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the magazinearm 4 is preferably constructed of sheet-metal in channel-shape with a bottom wall 22 and vertical side walls 23 joined at the front byan end wall 24. The side walls 23 of the arm 4 are provided with a series of oblong openings 3i) spaced along its forward portionY to provide windows for revealing the staples in its interior to indicate when the supply is about to be exhausted. At its rearward end the bottom wall 22 is extended and bent upwardly in a transverse wall 25 formed with a circular opening 2t. A leaf-spring 28, see Fig. 2, of substantially S-shape has its rearward portion secured to the base 2 by means of a'rivet 29 with its forward portion underlyingv the bottom wall 22 of the arm 4 to normally maintain the latter raised above the base 2 while adapting its forward end to rock downwardly vin relation thereto.

At the forward end of the arm 4 its front wall 24 is formed at the top with a pair of spaced lugs 35, Asee Figs. 3 and 4, bent forwardly and beveled on their under sides to adapt them to function for a purpose later explained. The opposite side walls 23 of the arm 4 are formed with pairs of upstanding lugs 36 and 31 spaced 'at a distance apart and ,designed for a purpose later explained.

Located between the side walls 23 of the arm 4 at its forward end is a hardened metalblock 39 disposed with its forward fiat face spaced from the inner'face of the front wall 24 to providev a narrow throat itt through which the staples are driven, see Fig. 2. The main portion of the block 3.9 seats against the bottom wall 22 of the arm Il and at its forward end the block is formed with a depending portion Il! projecting through a lateral slot ,t2 in the bottom wall. A stud 43 extends through a vertical bore 44 in the block 39 with its end screwed into a tapped hole in the bottom wall 22 of the arm i to fasten the block in place. Preferably, a boss 43 is formed on the bottom wall 22 projecting upwardly into the bore M in the block 39. The main portion of the block 39 is of a width to adapt the legs of the staples s to slide between its sides and the inner faces of the side walls 23 of the arm il, but its lower depending portion il is of greater width, being dimensioned to entirely ll the space between the side walls. By this form of construction the block 39 is provided with outwardly-projecting portions at its forward lower end, these portions A being beveled off at El on the' front to adapt the ends ofV the staple legs to slide downwardly thereon with an easy action. The forward face of the block 39 is recessed at the top to provide a transverse ledge e constituting a rest for each staple prior to its being delivered to the stapledriver in the lmanner to be explained hereinafter. The rearward end of the block 39 is formed with a circular hole 4l for receiving the end of a rod 55 which serves as the manually-operable means for retracting the staple-feeding device or pusher 7.

Overlying the top of the block 3Q at its forward end and extending rearwardly the full length of the arm ll is a plate Eil which forms a platform or rest for the staples s to adapt them to be fed therealong to the staple-driving means. The forward end of the plate Gi] is provided with a counterbored hole 6 l, see Fig. 2, -for receiving the tapered head of the vstud 43 which secures the block 39 in place whereby the stud serves to fasten the plate in position. The rearward end of the plate 6l] rests on the upstanding end wall 25 of the arm l and is formed with a downwardlybent portion G3 provided with a hole t4 through which the rod projectsrto Yanchor the plate at thiswend. Theplate E@ is formed adjacent its rearward end with an upwardly-inclined lug E5 sheared from the metal and struck up to provide a detent-shoulder at its forward edge.

The rod 55 is slidable through the hole G4 in the down-turned portion S3 of the plate B and the opening 26 in the end wall 25 of the arm Il, being provided with a knurled end at 55 for convenience in grasping it. Its forward end is rounded to adapt it to enter the hole 117 in the block 3S with an easy action when the rod 55 is pushed forwardly. A relatively thin collar or washer lili is riveted to this end of the rod 55 to form an annular flange which provides an abutment engaging the staple-pusher 'l to retract it when the r-od 55 is withdrawn through the arm il.

The staple-feeding means or pusher 'i consists in a bifurcated spring-element, see Figs. 5 and 8, comprising a cross-member 68 formed with a central hole 69 to adapt it to slide longitudinally of the rod 55`and provided with forwardly-projecting spring-'arms 'l0 bent inwardly toward each other at their ends to form terminal portions 'H for engaging with the legs of the rearmost staple in a series. Straddling the sides of the pusher 'l is a bifurcated yoke-element 'l2 formed' with a `cross-piece 13 bored with a central hole 'M for receiving the rodl55 and having opposite lateral arms l5 for straddling the rearward portion of the arms 1li.

The pusher l is assembled on the rod with the arms l5 of the yoke-member 72 enclosing its sides to limit the outward swinging movement of the spring-arms l). By this form of construction the yoke 'l2 acts to prevent the ends of the spring-arms 'ill of the pusher from expanding to such an extent as would cause them to dog against the sides of the arm d and prevent free movement of the pusher forwardly in the arm. Surrounding the rod 55 at the rear of the pusher 1 is a helical spring 'it having its rearward end bearing against the rearward Wall 25 of the arm il. The spring i6 thus is held under compression whereby it tends to slide the pusher 'l forwardly with its forward motion limited by the collar or washer El at the forward end of the rod 55.

A relatively fiat plate 'i1 is mounted on the arm ,e overlying the staple-guide or rest El) on which the staples arefed to the driving means. The plate 'il' is mounted in elevated relation to the rest @t to provide a space therebetween for free passage of the staples therealong, while serving as a guard to prevent the staples from rising up on the rest. The plate li' has a portion of reduced width at its rearward end curved upwardly and knurled or corrugated on its surface t0 provide a finger-hold Bil. The plate or guard 'H seats on the upper edges of the sides 23 of the arm 4 and is held from longitudinal displacement by the lugs 36 and 37 as more particularly shown in my prior application referred to above. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that an opening .i is provided beneath the rolled extension at the rearward end of the plate il for the insertion of the staples onto the rest or guide-plate 60.

The staple-driving lever 5, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is constructed of sheet-metal in inverted channelshape with a top wall 8d and depending sides 83. At its forward end is a transverse wall connecting its side walls 83 which is cut away at its center, see Figs. 2 and 3, to form opposite lateral portions 5 with an opening therebetween. The lower ends of the lateral portions 85 are bent inwardly to provide detents 35 for limiting the upward movement of the lever 5 as later explained. The upper portion of the front wall of the lever 5 is sheared to form a narrow strip of the metal which is bent inwardly at right-angles to provide a lug 81 for connecting the staple-driver E with the lever "5, see Fig. 2. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a rectangular slot S9 is formedin the top wall of the lever 5 and the end of the wall is cut away with a wider opening Sil at the rearward end of the lever. Surrnounting the top of the lever at its forward end is a hand-rest 9i having a :convex upper face and recessed on its other side to overlie the front and sides of thelever. The hand-rest 9i may be fastened in place on the top of the lever 5 by means of screws'll, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The staple-driver lever 5 is held in raised relation to the magazine-arm Il by means of a leafspring of bowed shape having its rearward end narrowed to provide a projection 94 for engagement within the slot B9 in the top wall Bil of the lever; while its forward endvis narrowed and curved downwardly to engage underneath the top wall of the lever, see Fig. 2. The rearward end of the spring 93 is formed at its sideswith slots Q5 for engagement with the lugs 3l onthe sides of the arm il. Attached to the under side of the spring $3 is an auxiliary leaf-spring 96 fastened thereto by a rivet 9'! and having its forward end curved to bear against the top' of the' plate or staple-guard 11. The auxiliary spring 96 is of thinner material than the `main spring 93 so that it will yield more easily. The spring 93 acts to maintain the lever 5 in raised position above the magazine-arm 4 while said arm is held elevated above the base 2 by the spring 28. During operation of the implement, however, when pressure is applied tothe hand-rest tl the relative greater resistance of the mainr spring 93 will cause the arm 4 to be swung downwardly against the tension of the spring 28 until the forward end of the arm presses against the work; whereafter the spring Stand auxiliary springk 95 will yield to adapt the lever 5 to be moved downwardly toward the arm4 to loperatezthe.staple-driver 6 to apply a staple to the work. f

The staple-driving lever 5 is assembled in pivotal connection with the arm 4 with the curled over end projection Si) of the plate or guard 11 passing through the cut-out opening 90 -in the end of the top-w-all 84 of the lever. With this connection between the parts the projection 94' on theend of the spring 93 impinges against the edge of the slot or opening 85 in the top of the lever 5 to maintain the spring under tension bearing against the top of the guard plate 11. During the assembling of the levert in pivotal connection with the arm its inwardly-bent detent lugs 8G are hooked under the forwardly-projecting lugs 35-on the arm t whereby to limit the upward movementof the lever relative to the arm under the tension of the spring 95.y

.The staple-driver consists in a relatively flat hardened blade, shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, having its upper end bent at right-angles to provide an overhanging ledge'portion 98 adapted to hook over the inwardly-bent lug v81 at the forward end of the lever v5 to mount the driver thereon. The lower portion of the staple-driver 6 is cutaway to provide a blade 99 of less thickness than its upper portion and adapted to slide kfreely inthe staple throat 4t formed by the space between the forwardwall 24 of the arm 4 and the forward face of the block 39. By this form of construction a relatively sharp shoulder or abutment is provided on the rearward side of the staple-driver 6 midway o'flits length, this shoulder forming a striking edge for engaging the top of a'staple to detachY it fromthe strip Vor/stickr of staples in the magazine-arme and carry it downward onto the ledge i to be eventually fed forward under'the lower edge of the narrower blade-portion 99 of the driver Bafter a previously fed' staple has been driven into the work.

The construction and arrangement'of the parts of the implement having been described in detail its method of operation is explained as follows:

AWith the parts of the implement inthe positions shown in Fig. l the magaz,ine-arm 4. may vbe loaded with a supplybfstaples s by'ins'erting them in under the 'guard `11 at the rear of the lever 5., see Fig. 3, and sliding them'forwardlyon the plate orrest BQ. This operation may be performed while the staple-feeding means or pusher 1 is in its forward position abutting the collar 51 on the rod 55, as shown in Fig. 3or, in other instances,V engaging the last few staplesremaining in the magazine-arm d. The staples are usually joined togetherin a stick or refill and the stick will generally be of a length to underlie the guard 11 and'project slightly atA the Iear v,thereof so that the rearmost staple is positioned infront ofthe;y

detent 65..so.as to be .restrained thereby against sliding rearwardly' when the staple-pusher 1"i`s` pusher 1 to retract the latter within the maga- Zine-arm 4. As the pusher 1 is retracted in this manner its arms 10 will contract inwardly toward each other to permit their ends to pass between the legs of the several staples. The pusher 1 thus may be retracted readily through the whole series of staples in the stick until th-e inwardly-bent terminal portions 1| of its arms 1t spring outwardly to abut the legs of the rearmost staple in the series. It will be understood that the pusher 1 is retracted against the tension of its spring 16 by the withdrawal of the rod 55 and when its arms 10 have been engaged with the rearmost staple s in the arm 4 the rod lmay be slid forwardly again to its inoperative position shown in Fig. 2 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

With the staple-pusher 1 in engagement with the rearmost staple in the series the spring 16 will tend to force the whole series of staples for wardly whereby to feed them individually tothe applying means. As will be observed by reference to Fig. 2, the lower edge of the staple-driver 6 is never caused to be raised above the top of the staple-rest 66. That is to say, the detent-lugs 35 at the forward end of the arm 4 engage with the detent-lugs 86 on the lever 5 to limit the upward movement of the letter under the action of the spring 93 whereby to maintain the stapledriver 6 in position with its bottom edge beneath the staple-rest 60 so thatthe staples are prevented from feeding into the throat 4E) in which the driver operates. Consequently, when the implement is first loaded with staples the rst 0peraton of the lever 5 will fail to apply a staple to the work, but during this operation the foremost staple in the series will be separated from the stick and carried down into position to rest on the ledge 45 in reserve for driving at the next operation of the lever. This positioning of a staple in reserve is accomplished by the engagement of the shoulder or abutment |05 on the staple-driver 6 with the crossbar of the foremost staple in the series.A After the staple-driver 8 has been Withdrawn to the upper end of its stroke, as shown in Fig. 2, the staple-pusher 1 will come into action under the tension of its spring 16 to slide the whole series of staples forwardly until the foremost one brings up against the rearward face of the driver. During this forward feeding of the staples in the series the legs of; thev foremost staple will act against the staple s on the ledge 45 to feed it off therefrom and into the throat 4U beneath the lower edge of thefdriver 6. Now, at the next downward stroke of the lever 5 the staple-driver will engage the top of the staple s in the throat 4l] to drive it'into the work-to cause the ends of its legs to be clinched on the under side thereofv by means of the clinchergrooves I2 in the base 2. During this latter driving action another staple s will be detached from the strip and carried down onto theledgel 45 so that after each staple is driven and the driver raised to its .uppermost position, a fresh staple will4 be .fed forwardly bil` rom, the :ledge .45 and;

into the throat 42). In this way the implement may be operated to apply staples to the work continuously; it being preferable to load the magazine-arm d with a fresh supply of staples before the last remaining one is applied to the work. The operator may observe the progress of the feeding action of the staples through the windows 3U in the sides of the arm d so that when the last staple in the strip or stick approaches the end of the arm, a new supply may be inserted into the magazine before the initial supply is exhausted. In this way the implement may be maintained in condition for applying a staple at the first operation of the drivinglevei 5 without necessitating an idle stroke of the driver to sever a staple from the stick and advance it to reserve position on the ledge lie.

The present improved construction and arrangement of the parts of the implement provide that its magazine may be loaded with staples through the opening in its top without withdrawing the staple-pusher and detaining it at the rear of the staple-stick. ri`he staples thus may be placed in the magazine with the utmost facility and convenience and thereafter it is only necessary to draw t'he rod 55 rearwardly to slide the pusher l through the whole series of staples to position it at the rear of the staples and load the spring Iii. The rod 55 then be slid forward to seat its rounded end in the hole l1 in the block 3Q to hold it in position as shown in Fig. 2. The spring 'iii thus will be energized to slide the pusher l forwardly to advance the staples progressively into position to be operated upon by the driver S in the manner explained above.

While the present improvements are herein shown and described as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a fastener-applying implement, a magazine for holding a supply of U-shaped fasteners arranged in series extending thereaeross, a pusher for feeding the fasteners forwardly along the magazine, yieldable means on the pusher adapted to contract to pass between the legs of the fasteners, means to withdraw the pusher through the fasteners to adapt it to engage the rearmost fastener in the series, resilient means for advancing the pusher longitudinally of the magazine to feed the fasteners forwardly.

2. In a fastener-applying implement, a channel-shaped magazine for containing a supply of U-shaped fasteners, a pusher slidable in the magazine and engagea'ble with the fasteners to feed them forwardly therein, said pusher being resiliently contractible to slide through the legs of the fasteners when retracted relatively thereto, manually-operable means for retracting the pusher to engage it with the rearmost fastener in the series, and a spring for advancing the pusher to feed the fasteners forwardly in the magazine.

3. In a device of the type indicated, a magazine for containing a supply of staples arranged in parallel relationship extending thereacross, a staple-pusher having oppos-ite resilient arms adapted to engage with the legs of the rearmost staple to feed the whole series of staples forward in the magazine, a spring for urging the pusher forwardly to feed the staples in the magazine, and a rod slidable on the magazine to' retract the pusher therealong, said resilient arms of the pusher being yleldable to move toward each other to adapt the pusher to slide through the legs of the staples after the latter have been entered into the magazine whereby to position the arms in engagement with the rearmost staple in the series.

4. In a staple-applying implement, a channelshaped magazine-arm for containing a supply of U-shaped staples, a rest extending longitudinally within the arm for supporting a series of staples straddled thereacross, said rest having an abutment adjacent its rearward end adapted to engage with the crossbar of the rearmost staple to prevent the staples from being slid rearwardly on the rest, a guard spaced above the staple-rest to adapt the staples to be inserted thereunder at its rearward end, a staple-pusher having resilient means adapted to engage the legs of the rearmost staple in the series on the rest, said resilient means being contractible to adapt it to slide between the legs of the staples when the pusher is retracted toward the rearward end of the arm, manually-operable means for retracting the pusher along the arm, and a spring for normally urging the pusher forward after its retraction to advance the staples along the arm.

5. In a device of the type indicated, a magazine ci' substantially channel-shape for containing a supply of staples, a rod extending longitudinally of the interior of the magazine and slidable rearwardly thereof, a staple-pusher in the form of a yoke having a cross-member slidable on the rod and forwardly-projecting spring-arms adapted t0 engage the legs of a staple, said arms being yieldable to adapt the pusher to be drawn through a series of staples held in the magazine, a spring on the rod for urging the staple-pusher forwardly in the magazine to advance the staples, and means at the forward end of the rod for engaging the staple-pusher to draw it rearwardly through the staples with its arms contracted to slide across the legs of the staples whereby to position it with its arms Iin engagement with the rearmost staple in the series.

6. In a device of the type indicated, a channel-shaped magazine for containing a supply of staples, a staple-pusher in the magazine consisting in a yoke having a cross-member with spring-arms projecting forwardly therefrom and an opening in its cross-member, a rod extending through the opening in the cross-member of the pusher and formed with an abutment at its forward end for engaging said cross-member, means for mounting the rod within the magazine to adapt it to slide rearwardly thereof, and a helical spring encircling the rod and acting to urge the pusher forwardly toward the abutment at the end of the rod.

7. In a device of the type indicated, a channel-shaped magazine for containing a series of staples, a rod extending longitudinally of the magazine and mounted to slide rearwardly thereof, an abutment at the forward end of said rod, a staple-pusher comprising a yoke-shaped member slidable with respect to the rod and having forwardly-projecting resilient arms adapted to engage the legs of the rearmost staple in the series, a yoke-member slidable on the rod and having forwardly-projecting arms straddling the arms of the pusher to limit their separation, and a helical spring on thek rod' acting against the yoke to urge the pusher forwardly toward the abutment at the end of the rod..

ARTHUR H. MAYNARD. 

